How to choose a certification standard?

For the textile industry, which naturally concerns us, the requirements depend on the chosen certification’s standard. Then, there are also obligatory requirements and those related to the brands. In terms of the standard requirements, Kalani has decided to work with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), which happens to be the strictest and most complete standard worldwide. It is currently managed in Germany and GOTS is uncompromising with the application of the following requirements:

• Cotton farming which favours the standards of organic agriculture (the use of chemical products such as pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers is prohibited), which all standards require.
•  No GMO seeds are allowed. What other standards of organic cotton don’t require.
• A minimum of 70 to 90% (according to the fibre blends if present) of organic cotton in the finished product (Kalani uses 100% organic cotton in all of its products), which isn’t obligatory with all standards.
• All the different stages and units of production, stock and distribution must respect satisfactory social conditions according to the rules imposed by the ILO (International Labour Organisation, a UN body), which is something the other standards don’t require.
• The various stages and units of production, stock and distribution must respect the environment through rigorous controls of the paint, gas fumes, treatment of waste water and the recycling of waste. This is also something not all standards of organic cotton impose.

Furthermore, Kalani has gone a step further in terms of the requirements it defined for itself. Kalani uses 100% organic cotton (GOTS certified) as well as 100% Fairtrade FLO-CERT certified cotton, so as to guarantee organic cotton farmers a “premium” price, calculated by Fairtrade International as the correct price, regardless of the cotton exchange rate fluctuations.

And, if you ask yourself why and who you’re actually paying… Here is a small diagram which will help you understand, in full transparency, where your investment is actually going.